Court order on BCCI election sad: Bindra

Mumbai:Former Cricket Board President Indrajit Singh Bindra today described the latest turn of BCCI's elections as a sad development in the Platinum Jubilee year of the Board.

"It is a sad development in the Platinum Jubilee year of the Board. As someone who is connected with the Board for three decades I feel pained and anguished that courts have to appoint an adminstrator to run the Board's affairs," Bindra told PTI here today.

He was reacting to the Madras High Court order today restraining the newly-elected BCCI members from functioning as the court felt that the undertaking given to it on the conduct of election has been violated.

Speaking about the Indian cricket team's performance in recent months, Bindra, said that "Indian cricket is at the cross roads. One wrong turn will lead us into a passage from which it will be very difficult for us to get out."

"We must reflect on what has happened over the last few years and learn right lessons," he added.

Another former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur echoed his predecessor's views by saying, "its a sad day for Indian cricket and that it should have happened in the 75th year of the Board is a tragedy."

"Nobody is indispensible but some people including Jagmohan Dalmiya (former BCCI chief) have come to the conclusion. The happenings in the last three weeks have completely exposed the hollowness of their claims," he said.

"All traditions have been thrown to the winds and meetings of those of the marketing and working committee has been convened without giving the statutory notice," Dungarpur alleged.

"I was also among those who voted for Dalmiya for the post of BCCI Patron-in-Chief, because in the present set-up there is nobody better than him. But instead of patronising the game he has started organising it," he said.

"He has a large majority and it has become difficult to unseat him. On September 27, we could see that he was vulnerable but he proceeded to do anything and everything to continue in power," Dungarpur said.

"Over the years, he has adopted methods which have lowered the Indian Board in the eyes of common man and the corporates," the former BCCI chief said.

"His actions have left the courts with no options but to come to this conclusion," Dungarpur said reacting to the Madras High Court's judgement.